On May 12, 2014, the City Council of the City of Culver City authorized the donation of one of Culver City’s decommissioned paramedic vehicles to the Fire Department in Uruapan, Mexico, in coordination with the Culver City Sister City Committee (CCSCC). On Monday, Dec. 8 the City officially transferred the decommissioned 2003 Freightliner ambulance and miscellaneous medical equipment to the City of Uruapan.
The city and public invited and welcomed Uruapan Councilmember Jose Alberto Paz Marín and Uruapan International Affairs Assistant Alfredo Ramírez López on Dec. 8 in front of City Hall.
People in attendance were able to meet and take photographs with the two Uruapan visitors and see the donated ambulance. Immediately following the photo opportunity was a reception for all guests in the Dan Patacchia Conference Room.
At the City Council meeting members of the Culver City City Council acknowledged this momentous occasion with a presentation. On Tuesday, Councilmember Paz Marín and Lopez began their drive to Uruapan to deliver the ambulance to the Uruapan Fire Department.
The 2003 Freightliner MedicMaster ambulance, designated as Unit 3725, was recently replaced through the City’s Vehicle Replacement Fund and is no longer utilized for field use. This is a special purpose vehicle with limited appeal to the general public; however, its continued use as an emergency vehicle remains viable.
In 1962, the City Council established the first CCSCC. The CCSCC, Inc. incorporated in 2008 as a nonprofit charitable corporation with 501(c)(3) tax-exempt status. Through CCSCC, Culver City maintains sister city relationships with four cities around the world. Among these is Uruapan, Mexico – Culver City’s first sister city. Uruapan is located in central Mexico in the Mexican State of Michoacán, with a population of approximately 315,000. Uruapan is located on a high plateau with a semitropical climate where ranching is the main industry.
The City has a long history of making various types of donations to Uruapan dating back to the 1960s. Most recently in 2005, a decommissioned Fire Department ambulance was donated to Uruapan. The City of Uruapan has proven its need for this type of vehicle and has expressed its genuine gratitude and appreciation for the City’s generosity.